Hi,

My girl is 43 days, so I am now at the stage of sorting out a whelping box.  The trouble is, she is a large breed, and when she lays out (as she will to feed her pups), she is really very long (and wide!).  I really don't know where to start with making a box big enough, and I can't see anywhere to buy one.  So I thought I would ask the experts!

Is an actual box imperative?  My living room is fairly big, and I have decided to cordon off a section of it, by moving furniture around.  I will make a large corner of it into a cosy area, with towels and blankets (and newspaper when she has the pups).  Will this be OK, or do I really need to have a box too?  I obviously won't have a way of making a 'roof' if doing it without a box.

Any help gratefully received!  Thanks in advance.

you do really need a box to keep everyone contained! not at first but at 2 weeks they would be all over the room. have you tried surrey pet supples online? they sell the whelping boxes which are disposable and the big one is i think very big.

Thank you so much.  I am ordering one right now!!

I use a cage but my breed is only medium sized & I've never hear of a bitch lying on a pup, so I don't need pig rails. I've an extremely ancient cage, bought 2nd hand for my 1st litter (23yrs ago ) which has a drop down side - Mum can jump out but the pups don't get seperated. It hasn't got a bottom, so I can just lift the whole thing off to clean & change beds. If it's cold I can cover it with a blanket. Best £10.00 I ever spent!!

my dog is a red cattle and when she feeds her pups she is also very long what i did was pulled out one of my long and wide wardrobe draws out stuck garbage bags around it then stuck newspaper aound it then got some material and thumb tacked it all around the box (make sure you put the thumb tacdks on the outside of the box away from pups and mum or you could end up with a nasty accident) all the covering on the draw keeps the draw from getting stains and also keeps the heat in a little better i then just lay some old blackets on the bottom of the draw